Humanoid Database

 

Disclaimer: All content presented on this site, including robot profiles, images, and descriptions, is provided for editorial, educational and informational purposes only. Humanoid Press does not claim ownership of any third-party trademarks, designs, or intellectual property featured herein. All rights belong to their respective owners.

 

Roboy (Germany)

type:
type 1
{{variant.name}}:
{{opt.name}}
{{opt.value ? '' : opt.name}}
{{opt.value ? '' : opt.name}}
Description

Summary:

 

Roboy is a unique, human-sized anthropomimetic robot known for its tendon-driven system. Developed by the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Roboy is designed to mimic human biomechanics as closely as possible. Instead of traditional rigid motors, Roboy uses cables and motors that simulate muscles and tendons, making its movements compliant and safer for human interaction.

 

Editorial:

 

When German engineers tackle humanoids, they don’t just build them—they dissect and rebuild the human body itself. Roboy is a marvel of biomimicry. While most robots use bulky, gear-driven motors, Roboy uses a radical, tendon-driven system, effectively giving him artificial muscles. This isn't just a gimmick; it results in movements that are incredibly fluid and, most importantly, soft. This compliance makes Roboy the perfect testbed for future collaborative robots that need to work closely with humans without posing a crushing hazard. Roboy is the scientific darling of the list, designed not to dominate the world, but to help us understand our own bodies better. His gentle nature and unique construction make him an absolute standout and a testament to the rigorous, systems-level approach of German engineering.

 

Specifications:

 

PHYSICAL

Height: ~140–150 cm

Weight: ~35–45 kg

Body Type: Tendon‑driven humanoid

Structure:

Musculoskeletal design

Tendons + elastic elements

3D‑printed bones and joints

Face: Expressive, animated face for HRI

ACTUATION

Actuator Type: Tendon‑driven “muscles”

Mechanics:

Tendons routed through pulleys

Elastic compliance

Human‑like joint behavior

Advantages:

Safe interaction

Smooth, organic motion

Low‑impact dynamics

DEGREES OF FREEDOM

Total DOF: ~40–50 (varies by version)

Key Areas:

Neck: 3 DOF

Arms: 7 DOF each

Hands: Multi‑joint tendon fingers

Torso: Limited DOF

Legs: Present in some versions (not all)

MOBILITY

Roboy has multiple versions:

Roboy 2.0 (most common)

Locomotion: No walking; upper‑body humanoid

Base: Wheeled or stationary

Roboy 3.0 (experimental)

Locomotion: Early bipedal prototypes

Status: Research‑only

MANIPULATION

Hands: Tendon‑driven, multi‑joint fingers

Grip Type: Adaptive, compliant

Payload: Light objects (research‑grade)

Manipulation Rating: 2/5 (precision > strength)

SENSORS

RGB cameras

Depth cameras

Microphone array

Joint position sensors

Tendon tension sensors

IMU

Touch sensors (select areas)

AI & COMPUTE

AI Stack:

Vision‑based perception

Speech interaction

Motion planning

Human‑robot interaction models

Compute: Onboard PC + external compute options

Connectivity: Wi‑Fi, Ethernet

BATTERY & POWER

Power: Tethered or battery (varies by build)

Runtime: Research‑dependent

USE CASES

Biomechanics research

Human‑robot interaction

Robotics education

AI‑driven motion studies

Public demonstrations & outreach

 

Image: techrepublic

 

Company Source:

 

- Roboy 3.0 – Official Project Page  

https://roboy.org/robots/3-0/ 

 

- Roboy – Wikipedia Overview  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROBOY

 

Key News & Coverage:

 

- Roboy.org – Roboy 3.0: Telepresence Enabled by AI, Robotics & 5G  

https://roboy.org/robots/3-0/

 

- Humanoids Daily – Tracking Humanoid Robotics Developments  

https://www.humanoidsdaily.com/